Media: Pope's words about same-sex couples deliberately distorted
According to a source close to the Vatican, the distortion was deliberately made to affect public opinion of the conservative Catholic wing in the USA before elections.
The phrase of the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, about the civil rights of same-sex couples in the documentary "Francesco" was deliberately translated incorrectly, reports TASS on Saturday, October 24, 2020, referring to a source close to the Vatican.
“In the film, an apparent distortion was made, and with very specific goals, in order to influence public opinion of the conservative Catholic wing in the United States before the elections,” the agency quoted the source as saying. “The Vatican conducted an internal investigation, which revealed that in the original interview in Spanish, the word "family" or "marriage" was never used, but "cohabitation (сivil union – Trans.)". The Pope talks about people in life partnerships who may have legal rights."
According to the source of the agency, we are talking about inheritance rights, sharing property, tax issues and social assistance, and “nothing of the above has anything to do with the family, traditional marriage, the foundations of which remain unbreakable, which Pope Francis has spoken of many times and which is constantly repeated in the Vatican."
In his opinion, "there is a clear attempt to discredit the pontiff, who is displeasing with his balanced and restrained policy on many international issues".
He explained that "Francis strictly adheres to the principle of non-interference of the Roman Catholic Church in politics and always suppresses attempts to drag the Church into political conflicts". In particular, he noted, the Vatican does not interfere in the affairs of the Orthodox Church, including in Ukraine.
“The Pope has always confined himself to calls for a peaceful resolution of civil crises, including in Venezuela, without taking sides. And certain circles do not like it,” resumed the agency's source.
As reported, in the documentary “Francesco” that premiered in Rome on October 21, 2020, the current head of the Vatican, Pope Francis, suggested legalizing same-sex civil unions.
